Hatch cover for covered hopper cars



Nov. 15, 1949 A. E. TIPTON HATCH COVER FOR COVERED HOPPER CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 5, 1947 Nov. 15, 1949 A. E. TIPTON HATCH COVER FOP. COVERED HOPPER CARS 2v Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1947 "UNITED STATE Ybodyine Patented Nov. 15, 1949 Alvin E. Tipton,

Youngstown Steel Door Company,

Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to The Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 3, 1947, Serial No. 745,860 4 claims. (c1. 10s-377) of said cars and avoid spillage upon the roofs thereof.

A further object is to provide hatch covers so constructed as to span the space between the hatch' frame and the hinges about which the covers swing and prevent the spillage and accumulation ofbulk materials in such space. Y A further object is to provide hatch covers for covered hopper cars capable of preventing spillage of bulk materials loaded into the cars, insuring full loads-for-the consignee and obviating .the carryingv of dead loads by the railroads. y

A- further object is to provide hatch covers emmeans which shall span the spacev between the hatch Yframes and the covers when the covers are open and serve to reinforce thecovers. Further objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

vlin the drawings forming part of this specification: -A

Fig. 1 is a plain view of one-half of a covered hopper car showing hatches in the roof and covers closing the hatches.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, the hatch cover being shown closed.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, the hatch cover being shown open.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in plan View substantially one-half of the roof IIl'of a covered hopper lcar II. A series of fourhatches `I2 are provided in the roof.v These hatches are closed by covers I3 which are carried Vby hatch frames I4 secured around the hatches. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the construction of the other half of the roof will be the same as the half of the roof illustrated and that the number and disposition of the hatches may be varied as desired.

Each of the hatch covers is formed of a metallic sheet I5 which is turned downwardly to provide a peripheral flange I6. Each hatch cover has secured thereto two hinge straps I1, one end of which is formedinto an eye I8 surrounding a cam I9 eccentrically mounted upon a shaft 20 rotatably supported between the hatch frame and the roof running board 2I by means of a plurality of brackets 22 secured as by means of rivets 23 to each hatch frame.

accumulate if .proper care A lever 24 fastened to the shaft 23 is utilized to impart rotation to the shaft.

The other end of each of the hinge straps I1 is formed into Va hook 25 which is adapted to engage the ange 26 on the hatch frame in order to lock the cover upon the frame. This locking action occurs upon actuating of the shaft which through the eccentric connection with the hinge straps imparts a substantial sliding movement of the cover toward the running board. Actuation of the shaft in the opposite direction will impart a motion of translationto the cover away from therunning board and so effect release of each of the hooks 25 from the flange 26 of each of the hatch frames.

It is beuevedthat this brief description ef the hatch frames, covers, and `locking mechanism therefor'will suflice for the purpose of the instant invention. For, a more detailed description thereof, reference is made to the patent to Ditchfield 2,372,369.

It is customary in structures to which the instant invention is directed to hinge the covers for the hatches in spaced relationship to the hatch frame. lA spaceis thereby provided between the lhatch frame and the hinges into which bulk materials being loaded intothe hatches willspill and is not taken in the loading operation. Bulk materials, such as sand and cement, are commonly loaded into the hatches through chutes and it is frequently the case that adquate care is not exercised in the loading operation. It is true, moreover, that it frequently happens that the material spilled upon the roof is not removed prior to the release of the car for transportation. Therefore, and more particularly in the case of cement, the spillage upon the vroofbetween the hatch frame and the hinges accumulates so that the shaft andhinges become embedded in the cement. This cement, in the event of rain, becomes hard and prevents the operation of the shaft and hinges and hence the unlocking and opening of the hatch covers when the car is to be loaded again.

By reason of the instant invention such spillage and accumulation is obviated and the flow of the cement is directed into the hatches. In accordance with this invention a plate member 21 which extends substantially between the sides of the hatch frame is welded as indicated at 28 to the inner face of each of the covers I1. The plate 21 is arranged so that when the cover is open the plate will slope downwardly toward the hatch. Adjacent to its free end the plate 21 is curved downwardly as indicated at 29. The sides of the plate 2'! are bent so as to form flanges 30 and 3| which are also welded to the hatch cover as indicated at 32 and 33. These flanges as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawings taper from the point of securement to the hatch cover to- Ward the free end of the plate. By virtue of the described construction of the plate, the hatch cover is substantially reinforced. Moreover, since the plate spans the space between the cover and the hatch frame, it protects the hinges for the* cover since it prevents spillage between the hatch frame and the hinges and directs any material which might otherwise have fallen into this space into the hatch.

The position of the plate 21' when the hatch covers are in closed position is shown in Fig. 2

of the drawings. It is apparent that the disposition of the plate will cause any material which might have lodged on the plate when the cover was open to fall into the hatch.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modications in the details of' the invention will be clear to those skilled inthe art. It isintended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claimsI ap'- pended thereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway oar'having'fa roof provided with a' hatch opening; a hatch frameY secured to and extending upwardly from said roof around said opening, a cover adaptedV to be seated on said frame for closing said hatch, means adjacent to said' roof and spaced from said'frameiorhingedly mounting said cover, whereby said cover is spaced from said frame when in open position, and a plate member' rigidly secured tothe inner face of said cover, said plate' member extending from said cover acrossu the space between said cover and said frame and into overlappingV relationship with said hatch opening when the cover is opening for preventingv spillage of bulk material being loaded throughl said hatch opening upon said roof between said cover and said frame.

2. In a railway car having a roof provided with a hatch opening, a hatch frame secured tov and extending upwardly from said roof around said opening, a cover adaptedy to be seated on said frame for closing said hatch, meansv adjacent to said roof and spaced from said frame for hingedly mounting said cover whereby said cover is spaced from s-aid frame when in open position, and a plate member rigidly secured to the inner face of said cover, said plate member extendingV from said cover across the space between said cover and said frame and into overlappingv relationship with saidl hatch opening when the cover is opening for preventing spillage of bulk* material being loaded through said hatch opening upon said roof between said cover and said frame, the free end portion of said plate member being angular and lying adjacent and substantially parallel to the underside of said roof when said cover is closed.

3. In a railwaycar having a roof provided with a hatch opening', a hatch frame: secured to and extending upwardly from said roof around said opening, a cover `adapted to be seated on said frame for closing said hatch, means adjacent to saidrooi and spaced from said fname for hingedly mounting said cover whereby said -cover is spaced from said framevwhen in open position, and a plate member rigidly secured to the inner face of( said cover, said? plate member extending from said cover across the space between said cover andi said frame.A and into overlapping relationship with said hatch opening when the cover is opening for preventing spillage of bulk material being loaded through said hatch opening upon said roof between said' cover and said frame, said plate member having reinforcing sidev anges extending from said cover` to the freeV end of said plate member, said flanges being vwelded to said cover.

4. Ina railway car having a. roof provided with a hatch opening, a hatch frame secu-red toV and extending upwardly from said roof around said opening, a cover adapted to be seated on said frame for closing said hatch, means adjacent to said roof and spaced from said frame for hingedly mounting said cover whereby said cover is spaced from said' frame when in open position, and a plate member rigidly secured to the inner face of said cover, said plate member extending from said cover across the space between said cover and said frame and into overlapping relationship with said hatch opening when the cover is opening for preventing spillage of bulk material being loaded through' said hatch opening upon said roof between said cover and said-frame, said plate member having reinforcingl side iianges extending from said cover'to the free end of said plate member, said flanges being welded to said cover, said reinforcing flanges decreasing in width from said cover to the free end of said plate member.

ALVIN E'. TIPTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

